By: Derek Wellock

 

Today I was scrolling through social media and various news channels, and due the nature of my job I subscribe to many which have to do with fitness and health.  As I was reading what was being posted  a nerve struck.  I am so tired of the guilt that fitness and health gurus of the world place on eating during the holiday season.  Lets a take a good look at this and get down to what is important.

I read the average holiday dinner is around 4,500 calories.  With a pound of fat consisting of 3,500 calories, so this means at one dinner you are going to store an extra pound of fat.   You have two or 3 of these holiday dinners and you are looking at a minimum gain of about 3-5 pounds of fat during the holiday season. Allegedly…

Should you feel guilty about this?  My take is absolutely not.   This is a time of year family and friends get together and eating is a very social activity which should be enjoyed.  Drink some drinks, eat the full meal and have the dessert.  Then go to bed feeling full, over stuffed and happy.  Wake up the next day and eat the leftovers.   My favorite is pumpkin pie for breakfast the next morning covered in a pound of whipped cream.  I put Irish Cream in my coffee, and I enjoy all the daily treats that are around.

Now how do you mitigate and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle during this time of year?  First you live a true 80/20 lifestyle all year long.  80% of your life is healthy and 20% of it is fun.  Then during the holiday time 60% is healthy and 40% is fun.  Living this way year round is going to maintain weight and fitness regardless of the holiday feasts. Usually when I weight myself in January I am about 5-10lbs heavier then I was during the pre holiday season, but by the end of January it is gone.  Sure as I get older it might be harder to lose but also as I get older I don’t eat as much quantity, but I still enjoy the finer delights of the holiday season.

Some other tips on curbing the Holiday weight gain and still enjoying yourself.  Drink a lot of water.  Stay hydrated but also before any big meal drink a large glass of water, this will fill some space and you will get full quicker.  Eat slower, take breaks and talk during your meal because the slower you eat, the faster you feel the sensation of being full.  Exercise everyday!  I do this not to maintain weight, but because I genuinely enjoy exercise.  Do something and get out and move every single day.  That means moving 7 days a week! It doesn’t mean barbells 7 days a week, but doing a 30-minute jog, hike, ski, etc.  Get out and move.

I might be more sensitive to this than most people.  The main reason is I was a wrestler and you may not know this but wrestling is during the holiday season. I had to weigh in every weekend during this time for almost 9 years.  So for me, I had to give up the treats during this time.  Now I want it back. Haha.  Also, in closing I had a client tell me something which has stuck with me since that day about 6 years ago.  I was young in my career and I was getting all lecture like at him about diet and eating healthy.  He looked me dead in the eyes and said, “you could walk out of here right now and die.  Would you regret having a couple treats and not living life?

Spend time with your family and enjoy the holiday season!  A couple of meals aren’t going to kill you, a lifestyle of shitty eating and poor physical choices will.  Eating with family and friends for the holidays is not a lifestyle and that type of eating shouldn’t be a lifestyle.  Enjoy and have fun.   Understand and respect of consequences of meal choices, but don’t feel guilty about it.”

Eat, Train, Live, Love, and Have a wonderful holiday season with your friends and family!

 

 

 

GROUP CLASS WORKOUT

 

Warm Up:

20/15 cal machine

3 Rds: 10 pushups, 15 PVC PT, 12 KBS Russian

1 Minute each side  Banded OH Pec distraction

 

Strength:

Bench Press Every 90 seconds
5×4 Increase in Weight

Lean: 5×8 Total Front Rack Lunges

 

Metcon:

Welded

 

Buy In: 1 Min Plank
6 Rounds
7 Toes to Bar
10 Cal ALT. Machine
7 Box Jump Overs 24/20
15 Air Squats
Cash Out: 1 Min Plank

 

Welded

Buy In: 40 Ab Mat Situps
6 Rounds
6 Burpees
10 Thrusters 45/35
6 Hand Release Pushups
15 Air Squats
Cash Out: 40 Ab Mat Situps

 

Mobility of the day: Anterior Compartment Smash

Improves: Overhead position, Bench press and pushup

 

 

 

OPEN GYM

8 to 9am

 

 

 

SKILLS CLASS

• Sled push
• Quat accessories

 

 

 

COMPETITORS CLASS

6 to 8pm With Coach Jacob